Women held a die-in in protest against domestic violence (Picture: Getty Images)

A Spanish archbishop has been accused of ‘inciting violence’ after claiming that domestic abuse takes place because ‘women do not obey men.’

Braulio Rodriguez, who is the Archbishop of Toledo, spoke to his congregation about relationships at a sermon held in Toledo Cathedral on 27 December, and his comments were later written up in the Our Father parish bulletin.

He criticised ‘false marriages’ and ‘quickie divorces’, and said that the root cause of domestic violence was a woman’s ‘disobedience’ to her husband.

‘The majority of cases of domestic violence happen because the woman’s partner does not accept them, or rejects them for not accepting their demands,’ he said.